Quote:TASK TWO: Who is your choice for the unsung hero of the S38 playoffs up to this point? Must be at least 150 words and include at least two statistics in support.
I think the guy who was the most underrated player in this playoffs was Jason Aittokallio. Everyone seems to focus on the skaters in front of goalie Aittokallio, but his play in net showing a 0.934 save percentage and 2.24 goals against average through the playoffs kept the Rage in every game. In all the talk about forward and defense stepping it up and the outstanding play from defensive defense man Winston Windsor, people seem to have missed looking at the goalie that kept the team in it game after game. The real eye opener for Aittokallio was the two back to back shutouts in the finals against the dragons. He just wasn't going to be stopped and he put the team on his back and ran with it. 31 and 25 save shutouts don't come easily, but that's what we saw when the pressure was on. Congrats on a great playoff run for Jason Aittokallio.
Quote:TASK FIVE: It’s Zamboni time! The teams have been asked by the SHL offices to re-design their Zamboni with a Finals theme. Please use your creativity on this and make it specific to one of the teams in the finals. Must include a logo from a team in the Finals and a color scheme appropriate to the team.
Quote:TASK SEVEN: Design a t-shirt or a rally towel for one of the teams in the finals. Must include some text (a slogan), the team’s logo and a local sponsor for the giveaway.
Quote:TASK EIGHT: Design the Championship Banner for the S38 Challenge Cup. Must include team logo, team name and at least one render.
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karlssens Registered
S28, S45, S49 Challenge Cup Champion
Posts:4,027 Threads: 182 Joined: May 2015 Reputation:73
Discord: karl#3942
Pronouns: He/Him
Player: Oskar Scholz
TASK TWO: Who is your choice for the unsung hero of the S38 playoffs up to this point? Must be at least 150 words and include at least two statistics in support.
I believe the unsung hero of the S38 Challenge Cup playoffs is Winston Windsor of the Manhattan Rage. An off-season addition at the beginning of the season, Windsor and fellow renegade Allen were brought in for this exact purpose, to get the Rage over the hump and in to the playoffs. So far they've done that and then some as the Rage are set for a 7 game winner take all series with the western conference champions, the Calgary Dragons. Whether with Tanaka and Muller in Edmonton, Kaiser and Vader in Texas or Nuck and Wollker in Manhattan, Winston has always played second fiddle in a top defensive pairing, yet manages to rise to the occasion when it matters most. This post-season is no different. 3rd in team scoring, and 2nd in defensive scoring, Winston has managed to score 11 points in 14 games, including 6 goals. Throw in a team leading 36 blocked shots and you can't deny the amazing value Winston brings to the team as the 4th defenseman in the depth chart for the Manhattan organisation. Can Winston Windsor help carry the Rage to another 7 game series victory and lift the cup for the 3rd time in his illustrious career? Stay tuned.
TASK THREE: Design the Challenge Cup Finals logo that will be included on both jerseys. Must include S38, the SHL logo and some sort of representation for each of the two teams in the Finals.
TASK SEVEN: Design a t-shirt or a rally towel for one of the teams in the finals. Must include some text (a slogan), the team’s logo and a local sponsor for the giveaway.
TASK EIGHT: Design the Championship Banner for the S38 Challenge Cup. Must include team logo, team name and at least one render.
TASK ONE: Pick either of the teams currently in the finals. Which player had to overcome the most adversity to get where they are at now? What did they have to endure before finally getting their crack at the Cup? Must be 150 words and include two specific situations that player experienced en-route to the Cup finals, whether this season or at some point during their career.
The player that best springs to mind is Geoffrey Allen. Obviously it's no surprise that Allen is a previous Challenge Cup winner with Texas, a team so often connected to him as a player and as a presence, so Allen's adversity certainly didn't come in any sort of lack in skill--in fact, Allen's relative consistency has been a point of admiration among fans. The adversity that Geoffrey Allen faced came solely in the trade from Texas to Manhattan. We all knew what was going to happen when Texas got punished, and it was Allen that found himself being moved to help create space for a future he wouldn't be a part of. While Texas fans were devastated, there was no overstating the excitement that hockey fans in Manhattan felt upon hearing the news. And hell, he got the cup, didn't he? He managed to pull through the heartbreak of a trade that he experienced early on and turned it into a cup win for a dedicated Manhattan fanbase.
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TASK TWO: Who is your choice for the unsung hero of the S38 playoffs up to this point? Must be at least 150 words and include at least two statistics in support.
Only two words. Brett Kennedy.
Yeah, his point production wasn't the greatest through the playoffs. Hell, eleven points across twenty games is far from poor point production, but for the sake of this argument, we'll call his point production below expectation. It's in the little things that Kennedy really shines. First, he was a consistent and important person who ate minutes for the team--472 minutes played, including nearly 50 minutes on the penalty kill. But bigger than that, Kennedy posted the best faceoff percentage of his team, taking 661 faceoffs and winning 52.95% of those draws. Winning draws is huge, obviously, and Kennedy's faceoff prowess allowed his team to be able to start with possession of the puck more often then not when he was taking the draw. Adding to the great possession assistance were the sixty hits he threw throughout the post-season--players were visibly worried when Kennedy stepped onto the ice and that physical presence was another huge part of his importance to the championship Manhattan team.
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TASK FOUR: What rookies or young players are looking to make a name for themselves during the Finals? How have they contributed to the team on the way to the Finals? Must be at least 150 words, and include two statistics.
There were a lot of big name young guns trying to make themselves look good and to shine through during this playoff sequence. But the two big names that I think were fighting hardest to show themselves off were Calgary's Dani Forsberg and Mike Izzy. Not a totally controversial choice, I realize, but it's hard to argue against the both of them stepping their respective games up when the game called for it. Mike Izzy's 7 points across the post-season is nothing to sniff at, but it was his physical play that really put him above others, posting a team best 61 hits across the series. Forsberg put up 15 points across the playoff series, and his knack for finding the open lane and setting up pretty plays were his biggest assets. The two of them are are bright spot in Calgary's future and this series was just one way of using a metaphorical crystal ball to see what they'll turn into.
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TASK SIX: You’re the coach of a team in the finals. What changes would you make to the roster, lines or strategies of the team to give the team a better chance at winning the series? Must be at least 150 words.
You don't get to the finals without having good lines, but sometimes you can't predict how they'll match up against a different threat. So for starters, put Roman Augustus on the second Calgary power play unit. Yes, he's a rookie and yes, he only put up two assists on the power play during the regular season but he was still given 84 power play minutes throughout the regular season. The kid put up nine assists in the post-season and only got one minute on the power play in any fashion. He's got a big, heavy shot and everyone needs a quarterback of some sort. Put him on the second power play unit and let the magic happen.
Second, stop double shifting the top line during 5v5. It just isn't necessary even though it's been a commonly employed strategy in Calgary's system before. If you want to give Randleman and Kurczewski more time, give them a little more time on the first line and let some of the less active players on the bench give it a go. This is a team game, but when four forwards are holding up your team, what's the point? If you absolutely have to give Randleman and Kurczewski more time, here's what it could look like.
1 Joe Kurczewski Nicholas Pedersen Randy Randleman 40
2 Shane Gagner Schnitinfritz Jagr Dani Forsberg 35
3 Alex Mack Mike Izzy Esa Anrikkanen 20
4 Alex Mack Mike Izzy Esa Anrikkanen 5
I realize all that's happened here is that the third line gets double shifted onto two, but now you've give that top line extra minutes, you've given a particularly dangerous second line some extra minutes, and the third line doesn't get any more or less time than they had in the initial lines.
Task 2: My choice for the unsung hero of the S38 SHL playoffs, thus far, is Calgary Dragons defenceman Michael Boychuk. From what I remember, he's been an about average player over his career. During these playoffs, however, he has been able to accumulate the second most points on an always dangerous Dragons team, with 15. With his play as a puck moving defenceman, he has been able to contribute 13 assists so far. However, unlike most puck moving defencemen, Boychuk has been able to be a solid defensive presence for the Dragons. He has the highest number of shots blocked on the team (25). To put this in perspective, he almost has the sum of the next two highest shot block totals on his team (two players with 14, for a combined 28 compared to his 25). With Boychuk leading the charge for the Albertans, Dragon fans can rest assured their team has a decent chance at winning another championship.
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Task 6: The first thing I would have done is to remove Mike Izzy from the line up. He is not a player that is going to bring anything positive to the ice, or even the locker room for that matter. I feel like with him out of the picture, everyone can be happier and there would be a greater amount of training and a closer group feeling. The next thing I would do is to spread out the ice time on defence more than it is. Right now, there are two lines that are given 40 percent ice time each. That would be a very big burden on those four players, and the wear and tear on them would be immense. I think I would also move Pedersen down to line two and bring Gagner up to the first line, so that the most firepower would be available to take on Manhattan's top players.
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Your mental health is just as important as your physical health. Please take care of it. Here are some helpful links just in case.
TASK TWO: Who is your choice for the unsung hero of the S38 playoffs up to this point? Must be at least 150 words and include at least two statistics in support.
TASK THREE: Design the Challenge Cup Finals logo that will be included on both jerseys. Must include S38, the SHL logo and some sort of representation for each of the two teams in the Finals.
TASK SIX: You’re the coach of a team in the finals. What changes would you make to the roster, lines or strategies of the team to give the team a better chance at winning the series? Must be at least 150 words.
TASK SEVEN: Design a t-shirt or a rally towel for one of the teams in the finals. Must include some text (a slogan), the team’s logo and a local sponsor for the giveaway.
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My choice for unsung hero in this playoff series has to be Michael Boychuk. DollarAndADream's player is getting pretty old now; as a season 23 player, he'll start losing 18% of his TPE after each playoff campaign pretty soon, and won't be useful for much longer unless DollarAndADream himself wakes up. But the presumptive first defenceman of the Calgary Dragons has put up a deeply impressive effort this post season, despite his age; finishing with with a full 17 assists over 17 games (the most of any player these playoffs), an extremely impressive pace for any defenceman, especially when you factor in that most of these were during 5 on 5 play. He also came in with a rather useful 31 blocked shots, at a pace that would have turned into 90+ blocked shots in a regular season, for a team that wouldn't usually require a defenceman to put in that much effort.
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In Calgary's position, there's a few changes I'd make to their lines to give them a better shot at the cup. Firstly, I'd add Taro Eichelele to their lineup. He's got 700+ TPE and isn't completely useless, but he's been almost completely absent from Calgary's roster since he was drafted, and he's in my draft class year so that's actually starting to be a fairly long time. Randy Randleman, Joe Kurczewski and Shane Gagner are all being double shifted, and that doesn't need to happen, so one of those three can stay a bit fresher for special teams time while Eichelele takes up some of that junk time that nobody does much with. Secondly, I'd have traded for another defenseman before the playoffs started. Since Bubba Nuck left, Calgary has been missing a dominant checking defenseman presence. This season, Kornel Kasparek and Viatcheslav Orlov were both traded (both to Edmonton, in fact); either player would have been great for the job.
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TASK TWO: Who is your choice for the unsung hero of the S38 playoffs up to this point? Must be at least 150 words and include at least two statistics in support.
Bennet Jones from Manhattan Rage. He has so far in 18 games 2+5 points, that might not sound like much, but those 7 points have come while playing on the third line with 13,28 minutes per game on average and with basically no special teams minutes. Being able to get secondary scoring outside your scoring lines is absolutely massive in the playoffs. Quite interestingly Bennet´s linemates, Colt and Razin have five points together between them, so Jones has been the carrying force in that line.
Even if Jones has been the one who is been on the scoreboard more often, the whole third line has been playing really well overall so far, all three have +/- rating of +5, so Manhattan has been able to give some much needed rest for their top line players, but still the players who are out there during those moments can get the job done on both ends!
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TASK FOUR: What rookies or young players are looking to make a name for themselves during the Finals? How have they contributed to the team on the way to the Finals? Must be at least 150 words, and include two statistics.
I believe Roman Augustus from Calgary is the only rookie in the SHL finals who has been playing, Evgeny Yakikov from Manhattan has so far played average of 0 minutes, so focus on this task will be on Roman!
Augustus plays on the second pairing in Calgarys defense, on average bit under 22 minutes per game, 15 games so far in the playoffs this year and in those 15 games, Augustus has collected really solid 0+9! That is with 1 minute on the PP, so even more impressive, with PP role those numbers could be higher.
Roman does get nice role on the PK though, so when you think about the fact that a rookie is out there in the 2nd pairing and also on the PK, tells you that we are talking about a really promising player and he has played like that so far.
Just so this wont be purely positive, need to mention his shot number - 13 shots in 15 games! That is not a lot, even without PP minutes you would expect bit more shots coming from the blueline and from Roman, only matter of time before the opposite teams catch up to the fact that Augustus rarely shoots.
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TASK SIX: You’re the coach of a team in the finals. What changes would you make to the roster, lines or strategies of the team to give the team a better chance at winning the series? Must be at least 150 words.
So far the series in the finals is pretty close, both teams have been able to win and the fact that both teams are in the finals already means tactical and other parts of their game have been working pretty well, but I could still try something out!
Starting from Calgary, I would put Roman Augustus on the PP, he has shown he has what it takes to be part of the PP setup, Gagner and Kurczewski are currently playing most of the PP on the blue line, both are forwards, so could the results be even more impressive for Calgary if at least one of Gagner or Kurczewski is closer to the net and Augustus is on the blueline on pp instead?
From Manhattan, I would probaply try to find a way to get even more out of Allen and especially from Atmey, both have been firing away in solid rate, but Atmey has two more goals than Allen, Atmey is on the second line and Allen on the first, what comes down to playing time and special teams roles, Atmey plays over 2 minutes less on average. Atmey has Kennedy as his center on the second and Jesus on the other side in the wing, Allen has Redding as his center and Hans as winger
Now, Kennedy has 9 points and Jesus has 6 points so far in 18 games, Redding has 15 and Hans has 9.
Would Atmey be even more dangerous if Redding played on the 2nd line and Kennedy on the first? That is what I would like to try, try to fool Calgary little bit and put Atmey and Redding together into the 2nd and hope they put all the effort defensively on stopping first and 2nd line gets bit more freedom.
TASK ONE: Pick either of the teams currently in the finals. Which player had to overcome the most adversity to get where they are at now? What did they have to endure before finally getting their crack at the Cup? Must be 150 words and include two specific situations that player experienced en-route to the Cup finals, whether this season or at some point during their career.
I would have to say Crossfit Jesus had the most difficult time leading up to our S38 Championship. Back in season 34 CFJ was called up from the minors and won his first cup by being a by stander. Sense that day all sorts of members have taken digs at CFJ about his " Fake " cup.
This had eaten CFJ up inside and in some cases I think it made him play worse. He had his own doubt about his accomplishment and that got into his head. When a hockey player gets a negative view of themselves, it has the ability to ruin that player. It makes you second guess your decisions and double clutch the stick. Playing while uptight is a bad situation to be in if your a hockey player.
I am very happy to have help CFJ get that monkey off his back. I am hoping this will relive him and allow him to get back to the magic that got him drafted in Manhattan to begin with.
TASK TWO: Who is your choice for the unsung hero of the S38 playoffs up to this point? Must be at least 150 words and include at least two statistics in support.
As the GM of the Rage I have a bit of a bias of course. But also being a father of one of my players, adds a whole new layer of preference. It is because of these two very important jobs that my choice for unsung hero is easy.
Hunky Monkey does deserve the award in my eyes. He has built himself a complete role player and is a very crucial part of our D corp. Now you may say this is where the bias comes in and normally I would agree with you. If it werent for a few statistics that prove he is the unsung hero in every meaning of the award.
Monkey sits 8th on our team with a respectable + 4. He is also 6th in hits with 30, 8th in AMG with 22.84 minutes a game, third in shot blocks with 19 and 1 game winning goal! I know this dosnt sound like a stellar player at all, more mediocre actually. But in fact he is a positive in all aspects of his game, He does nothing the best, yet hes right up there in every category defensively.
TASK THREE: Design the Challenge Cup Finals logo that will be included on both jerseys. Must include S38, the SHL logo and some sort of representation for each of the two teams in the Finals.
TASK FOUR: What rookies or young players are looking to make a name for themselves during the Finals? How have they contributed to the team on the way to the Finals? Must be at least 150 words, and include two statistics.
Not a rookie anymore, but was one the last time the rage made it to the finals. Is the always flashy and never bashful, Crossfit Jesus! CFJ is still a very young player when you pair him against most of his current team. And it is because of the fact, that he is who I chose as my impact youth.
Just because the headlines dont come smeared with his face after each game. In know way means he is not a large part of our team and our success as of late. Boasting a forgettable 5 points threw 14 post season games. He also has a nice +5 to go along with those 5 points so he is doing the right things when he hits the ice. And his 42 shots on net just proves further that hes in the right places, just not getting the bounces.
CFJ's real contributions to the team have come off the ice in spades. Hes always the first to say hi and never leaves a teammate hanging in a tough spot. Its that character that really makes him shine and we love having it in our room.
TASK FIVE: It’s Zamboni time! The teams have been asked by the SHL offices to re-design their Zamboni with a Finals theme. Please use your creativity on this and make it specific to one of the teams in the finals. Must include a logo from a team in the Finals and a color scheme appropriate to the team.
TASK SIX: You’re the coach of a team in the finals. What changes would you make to the roster, lines or strategies of the team to give the team a better chance at winning the series? Must be at least 150 words.
If I was the coach of Calgary, my first order of business would be to get the team matching walkers. You try making a decrepit feeble old man like Esa Anrikkanen skate faster then a snail without one! And Whats with the Goalie situation? Your telling me, I have to use a near sighted 70 year old number 1 goalie? I guess I would be forced to drop Viagra in the old timers water bottle, just to give him some go you know? I know I could probably find a life times worth in Mack's locker. I dont know about you but the Golden Girls are not my idea of a threesome.
And I have Nicholas Pedersen as one of my top wingers for fuck sakes! I wonder if the league would allow me to tape an oxygen tank to his back. Maybe if we could do that he could hep push old man Boychuk's wheel chair on our back check.
In other words I think we would be fucked and might as well not leave the security and comfort of our nursing home.
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TASK SEVEN: Design a t-shirt or a rally towel for one of the teams in the finals. Must include some text (a slogan), the team’s logo and a local sponsor for the giveaway.
TASK EIGHT: Design the Championship Banner for the S38 Challenge Cup. Must include team logo, team name and at least one render.
TASK FOUR: Roman Augustus has had a tremendous rookie campaign during the postseason, tallying eight assists in eleven games played. In addition to his eight points on the season, the rookie blueliner is tied for second on the Calgary Dragons with 14 shots blocked, trailing only Michael Boyhcuk for the claim as the #1 shot blocker on the team. Augustus went into the postseason with low expectations with a somewhat quiet rookie regular season, but he’s been smashing his previous results with a damn fine postseason performance thus far.
It’s also interesting to note about these results from the playoff run because Augustus was rather well-known to perform as a shoot-first defenseman, rather than a puck distributor or puck moving defenseman. Perhaps all of these assists he is tallying up are a direct result of a shooting attempt rather than a direct passing play. It would make sense if his shots were getting on net and producing a rebound, where the Dragons’ strong veteran forwards would pounce on the puck and bury it into the net.
TASK ONE: Pick either of the teams currently in the finals. Which player had to overcome the most adversity to get where they are at now? What did they have to endure before finally getting their crack at the Cup? Must be 150 words and include two specific situations that player experienced en-route to the Cup finals, whether this season or at some point during their career.
I'm going to pick myself just because the bulk of the Dragons and Rage thusfar have at least one cup to their name, if not more. Dani Forsberg has not won a single damn thing since entering the SMJHL in S33. He's been to a bunch of finals but despite individually contributing more than his fair share to the cause, it wasn't meant to be. Eventually he seeks to break through and win a chip but thusfar it has not materialized for him. I think the first sticking point is that a player of his talent getting stuck on the 3rd line is tough. Realistically, he's top 6 caliber on just about every team in the league so riding the 3rd line with some other guys who frankly don't deserve it either is a tough mental test. Another situation that he's found himself in is a horrible shooting percentage despite being a shoot first type player. Shooting under 4% in any situation is troubling but shooting under 4%, with only a single goal (plenty of assists) at this point in the playoffs is certainly something he is going to need to overcome if the Dragons are going to have any chance whatsoever.
TASK TWO: Who is your choice for the unsung hero of the S38 playoffs up to this point? Must be at least 150 words and include at least two statistics in support.
This is probably the easiest question here as Richard Chocolate is easily the unsung hero for the Dragons. Despite having a passable but aging defensive core (minus augustus) Chocolate was a standout performer when the Dragons needed him most. I mean, the Dragons are a high-powered offensive team so him keeping opponents to an average of 3 goals against is more than enough for the Dragons to be "in" each and every game. Despite the simmer clearly boosting his own stats in the sim Chocolate had a very solid save percentage of .900. With the entire Dragons team cracking down on really trying to play team defense and give Chocolate a fighting chance, he responded by making consistent and timely saves each step of the way. Last but not least, he had a massive shutout in the WCF to really get the Dragons players and Dragons fans going. He's been an integral part of the Dragons run to the finals and likely will never get the credit that he rightfully deserves.
TASK FOUR: What rookies or young players are looking to make a name for themselves during the Finals? How have they contributed to the team on the way to the Finals? Must be at least 150 words, and include two statistics.
Lets be real here, this was Dani Forsberg's coming out party. He finished the playoffs with 15 points in 17 games despite playing predominately on the 3rd line and 2nd PP. That's good for the 3rd highest scoring forward on the Dragons behind only the two goats, Randleman and Kurczewski. On top of that, he was 3rd on his team in hits with 53. The playoffs are a whole different beast compared to the regular season and bringing physical play to the table is absolutely necessary for success. His shooting percentage was really low coming in at 5.77% (despite 99 Scoring) so that tells me that Forsberg performed actually below his absolute peak while still also putting up as many points as he did. It's looking like this guy could be a really important playoff performer already early on in his career. It's a valuable asset to have for any team knowing they can count on a player to perform when the lights shine the brightest.
TASK SIX: You’re the coach of a team in the finals. What changes would you make to the roster, lines or strategies of the team to give the team a better chance at winning the series? Must be at least 150 words.
I think the Dragons should focus a bit more on the physical aspect of the game as far as their overall line strategies are concerned (for forwards) and also should be even more defensively sound on the defensive end. My rational for this is fairly simple. It's doing the best job possible of highlighting a definitive and impactful strength of the forwards on the Dragons (their physical play) while also very likely having basically zero impact on the offensive output of the Dragons forwards. The talent, the TPE and the chemistry are all there, line by line, so those are all good to go. Guys like Kurczewski and Randleman don't need to play "offensive" to score. They score nearly at will anyways. However, if the Dragons swapped to a bit more of a physical forward line strategy, I think it would pay huge dividends. I also think that the forwards are the bread and butter of the Dragons so if the Defense could just play a bit more defensive and really focus on helping Chocolate, then the team as a whole would perform better.
Line strategies for the forwards would remove 1 from offense and put that 1 into physical play. Line strategies for defense would remove 1 from offense and put it into defense.
TASK ONE: Pick either of the teams currently in the finals. Which player had to overcome the most adversity to get where they are at now? What did they have to endure before finally getting their crack at the Cup? Must be 150 words and include two specific situations that player experienced en-route to the Cup finals, whether this season or at some point during their career.
Even though he has already won a cup, Windsor has had to endure a couple of different situations to get back to the cup finals. First, after winning a cup with Texas and then being eliminated last season, he had to endure the offseason turmoil in Texas in which they lost several first round picks and the GMs player getting suspended for the season. This caused him and Allen to get traded to the Rage in a mega deal which helped to pave the Rage’s way not only to getting back to the playoffs, but to the finals. The second situation was being down 3 games to 0 to the Chiefs in the conference finals and being a key component to a massive 4 game comeback sending the Rage to the finals. In 14 games, Windsor has 11 points and is the second highest scoring defensemen on the team. He is also a +3 while playing on the first line. In not only the 4 game comeback, but in the series as a whole, the Rage did not allow the Chiefs to score more than 3 goals in any game.
TASK TWO: Who is your choice for the unsung hero of the S38 playoffs up to this point? Must be at least 150 words and include at least two statistics in support.
Calgary has a lot of stars on their team from Kurczewski to Mack to Gagner to Esa, but the one person that gets overlooked sometimes is Boychuk. He plays nearly 25 minutes per game, is on Calgary’s first line, plays on the power play, plays on the penalty kill and faces off against the other team’s best players every night. He is second on the team in scoring with 2 goals and 13 assists for 15 points. His assists lead the Dragons as well. He has put up a +11 rating in 11 games so far and has only taken two penalties. He has only given 13 hits as he is not overly physical, but has blocked 25 shots so far in the post season. He is also the perfect role model for the younger players like Augustus because he is a strong presence in the locker room and knows what it takes to win as he is a previous cup champion as well.
TASK FOUR: What rookies or young players are looking to make a name for themselves during the Finals? How have they contributed to the team on the way to the Finals? Must be at least 150 words, and include two statistics.
Roman Augustus is a rookie blue liner for the Calgary Flames who has played in all 11 games on the second line during the playoffs and has averaged nearly 22 minutes per game which shows the confidence they have in him and his abilities during the playoffs. Although he doesn’t have any goals yet on just 7 shots taken, he does have 8 assists. He has not played on the power play but is a key penalty killer and for a rookie in the playoffs, Calgary is showing their trust in him. He doesn’t put his team in a bad situation as he has only taken 3 penalties but is a -2 in those 11 games so there is a little room for improvement in his 5 on 5 game. He has dished out 15 hits so far and blocked 14 shots so he isn’t afraid to give up his body for his team. Overall, he has been a key contributor to Calgary’s 8-3 record by not scoring but by doing the little things that help teams with championships.
TASK SIX: You’re the coach of a team in the finals. What changes would you make to the roster, lines or strategies of the team to give the team a better chance at winning the series? Must be at least 150 words.
I think the adjustment I would make to Calgary would be a slight adjustment to the defensive pairings in order to reduce their goals against which currently sits at 3.00 per game compared to 2.2 for the Rage. I would put Boychuk and Augustus together since Boychuk is more defensive minded and Augustus is more offensive. They compliment each other in other ways too as Boychuk is a better passer, skater and checker while Augustus handles the puck better. Then I would put O’reilly and Creller on the second line together since one is defensive minded and Creller is offensive. Creller brings a little more physical presence than O’Reilly does but O’Reilly can pass and handle the puck better. The third line would be two defensive minded players in Laflamme and Goody Jr. Neither will bring much hitting or offense to the table but can skate, pass and handle the puck well and can match up against the other teams first or second lines.
TASK ONE:
Richard C. Hocolate is not a household name, but he is the starting goaltender for the Calgary Dragons. You would think that by being the man between the pipes for, not only a team 4 wins away from a Challenge cup, but one of the best franchises in recent history of the SHL, he would be a name raved about around the league. However, even though everyone knows of him, hes been around since S29, but he spent much of his career behind the legendary Hunter Wong. This proved to be difficult for Hocolate to gain any confidence, he would work hard and fight to impress his coaches in training, but when it came down to it, he could never really prove he was better than a goalie like Wong, who was in the middle of his prime and winning everything for Calgary. Another rough moment in Hocolates career was when Calgary drafted highly stouted goaltender Thaddeus Prince, just as Wong was beginning to fade into the late stages of his career, this new kid was now giving Hocolate some competition for the future role of the Dragons.
Hocolate persisted however, and Prince never turned out to be the goaltender everyone thought he would be, and now Hocolate is finally the man for Calgary, after a long road, he is their man and he has managed to help them get all the way to the finals.
TASK TWO:
If youre looking for an unsung hero, look no further than Winston Windsor of the Manhattan Rage. The Rage have clawed their way to the finals by defeating 2 heavy favorites in the East, both in 7 games, and one of the main reasons for being able to edge out New England and Minnesota was the defensive play of Windsor. Windsor has laid his body on the line with his league leading 36 blocked shots! He is averaging 23.75 minutes per game which is good for top 4 on the Rage, who have played 14 games on route to the finals. One of the key components to the finals, is the wear and tear factor, after a 50 games season and a rough playoffs for the Rage, and especially Windsor, can he continue his high level of play and sacrificing his body, to help his team edge out the Dragons and claim the Challenge Cup?
TASK FOUR:
Roman Augustus is in his first ever SHL season, and with this performance he is putting on for the Dragons fans, he is really starting to make a name for himself around the league. The young defender has had quite the showing for a rookie, with 8 points over 11 games, which is better than veteran Mike Izzy and the same amount as future hall of famer Esa Anrikken. He has earned the confidence of his coach, playing just under 22 minutes per game. Augustus has provided great play for the Dragons who now have an extra weapon to add to their already prolific team. Augustus will be looking for his first SHL playoff goal in these finals, and of course, his first Challenge Cup. Even if he and the Dragons are not successful this time around, the future looks bright for this kid, and the Dragons must be licking their lips at the potential they are watching unfold.
TASK SIX:
I am a firm believer in the saying that goes, if it aint broke, don’t fix it. If I were the coach of either of these teams, I would not be touching anything from the winning formula that brought them to this point. If there are ways that each team could have improved, it would have had to have been at the trade deadline. The Dragons have a goaltender who will be entering regression at seasons end, and has only just eclipsed the 1000 TPE mark. I do not think this is good enough, and if it weren’t for their amazing players in every other positions, they would not have made it this far. They could have gone out to get a better tender to help their chances. For Manhattan, much of the same from recent years dating back to the McZ days, they need some depth and some players to give their top guys a break. They are currently playing their top 2 lines 90% of the game. One way they could have improved their team is by acquiring some solid 3rd line players to lower that number to 80% and give their guys a much needed rest after a long 14 games road to the finals.
TASK ONE: Pick either of the teams currently in the finals. Which player had to overcome the most adversity to get where they are at now? What did they have to endure before finally getting their crack at the Cup? Must be 150 words and include two specific situations that player experienced en-route to the Cup finals, whether this season or at some point during their career.
I have to imagine that no player has faced a harsher road to the finals than Richard C. Hocolate. The Calgary Dragons netminder had a pretty pedestrian regular season this year -- posting an underwhelming 21-20-3 record with a .908 save percentage and 2.75 GAA. The Dragons were poised to make a playoff run with their stars at the helm, but many doubted whether Hocolate would be able to stand up to the pressures. Many pointed to his career in the juniors, where his name was used to inspire an unfortunate nickname "the Fudgeman" after he "fudged" the bed repeatedly in the playoffs. Little did anyone know that this hurtful play on words hearkened back to an even earlier problem of his in mites, where Hocolate almost switched to forward because of his repeated need for bathroom breaks. Nonetheless, Hocolate has put on an impressive display in the postseason and deserves his shot at the cup this year.
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TASK TWO: Who is your choice for the unsung hero of the S38 playoffs up to this point? Must be at least 150 words and include at least two statistics in support.
Unsung hero without a doubt has to be Richard C. Hocolate. While his stats may not bowl anyone over at first glance (0.904 save percentage, 2.83 GAA), Hocolate has demonstrated an uncanny ability to clamp down when it counts and that's a huge reason why the Dragons are in the finals. There were a number of golden opportunities for Winnipeg to seal Game 6 and Hocolate kept them in the game long enough for the big guns to get off another volley. In game 6 he posted a ridiculous 42 saves on 45 shot attempts, with a whopping 21 saves to slam the door shut in the 3rd period when the Jets were surging hard. This is indicative of a player who knows when he needs to show up, and the Dragons should be thrilled with his hot streak going into the finals. There's been no shortage of heroic performances, but I think the goaltending was the difference in the Winnipeg series and may continue to be moving forward.
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TASK FOUR: What rookies or young players are looking to make a name for themselves during the Finals? How have they contributed to the team on the way to the Finals? Must be at least 150 words, and include two statistics.
Look no further than my drafting class mate, Roman Augustus for this prize. I made the finals as a rookie defenseman, and it's a lot of pressure when you're going up against some of the biggest names in the league. I was fortunate enough to have sheltered minutes, playing on the 3rd pairing with no special teams for about 13 minutes a game. Roman Augustus has been playing a steady 22 minutes a game, including big PK minutes in the post season. His -2 rating may be misleading, as few of the Dragons have a sparkling plus minus, but 14 shot blocks tells a better story. Sure, he may chip in on assists, but the Dragons' strategy seems to rely on him playing the safe stay at home role on the 2nd pairing with Pierre-Luc Laflamme and so far it's obviously working. I think if he can keep up his defensive performance it'll take some of the heat off of Richard C. Hocolate, who will also need to glimmer in the upcoming series.
TASK SIX: You’re the coach of a team in the finals. What changes would you make to the roster, lines or strategies of the team to give the team a better chance at winning the series? Must be at least 150 words.
If I'm looking at the whiteboard in the Dragons' locker room as the head coach, I'm taking a moment to breathe a sigh of relief. A lot of people considered them underdogs against the reigning champ Winnipeg Jets, and when you look at the stats there's still some work to do. Namely, an astounding proportion of their goals have come from star forward Randy Randleman. It makes sense that your biggest names put up the biggest performance, but the performance from the other forward lines has been inconsistent at best and bleak at worst. On the one hand, you may think there's no need to shake anything up given that they've found themselves in the finals. On the other hand, you can't expect your goaltender to continue to steal key games like they saw in Game 6. Ultimately, I'd consider spreading some of the scoring depth out for a few shifts in game one to disorient the opposition's strategy and see if one of the other stars can spark a flame of their own.
[174 words]
TASK FOUR:
There's no question that the rookie expected to make the biggest impact in the finals this season is Roman Augustus, in his first season in Calgary. Admittedly, Augustus has no competition for best rookie in the finals - he's the only rookie on the Dragons, and Manhattan hasn't had any rookie players on the ice in the post-season. But even if he had competition, his stats would justify the statement. He's been a highly touted prospect since he was drafted, and put up a pretty good first season, before continuing to grow in the playoffs. Tied for second in shots-blocked for the Dragons this post-season with 14, he also has an extremely solid 8 assists in 11 games - leading rookies in the playoffs. However, he has yet to score a playoff goal in the SHL. While his main focus may be defensive, Augustus does put some pride in his goal-scoring ability as well, and if he can get that final piece in place there will be no question that he offered everything his team could ask for this post-season.
TASK TWO: Who is your choice for the unsung hero of the S38 playoffs up to this point? Must be at least 150 words and include at least two statistics in support.
Michael Boychuk has been underrated for a while now. While he plays on Calgary's first pairing with Connor O'Reilly, Boychuk seems to fly under the radar. However, he’s been in the form of his life during the playoffs. He currently has 15 points, second on the team behind Randy Randleman, and he leads Calgary (and the league) in assists with 13. He also has 25 blocked shots, sixth in the league (and first on the Dragons). In closing, Boychuk has been amazing for Calgary, and I don’t expect him to fly under the radar any more.
TASK FOUR: What rookies or young players are looking to make a name for themselves during the Finals? How have they contributed to the team on the way to the Finals? Must be at least 150 words, and include two statistics.
Roman Augustus has been great for the Calgary Dragons. A former captain of the St. Louis Scarecrows, Augustus has had no problem adjusting to the SHL. He leads all rookies in playoff points with 8 (all assists), which is very impressive for a defenseman. Playing with a veteran like Pierre-Luc LaFlamme has really helped Augustus, as LaFlamme has taken a mentorship role. Augustus also has blocked 14 shots, second on the team behind Michael Boychuk (who has 25 blocked shots). He hasn’t been afraid to put his body on the line to help block shots. Augustus is going to be a future star, and the Challenge Cup Finals could be his coming-out party.
TASK SIX: You’re the coach of a team in the finals. What changes would you make to the roster, lines or strategies of the team to give the team a better chance at winning the series? Must be at least 150 words
If I was the coach of the Manhattan Rage, I’d change some lines but keep most things intact.
First off, I’d demote Geoffrey Allen from the first line (sorry Allen!. Luke Atmey has been having a killer Playoffs with 13 points in fourteen games, and he’s been performing better than Allen, who has eight points. Secondly, Wyatt Wøllker would be promoted to the first pairing, with Bubba Nick being demoted to play with Hunky Monkey. Wøllker also has 13 points, and a combination of Wøllker and Winston Windsor (who has 11 points) would be a potent line that would be an offensive threat. I wouldn’t change anything else, as the Rage have lines that I agree with mostly. These lines are mostly based on offensive production.
ty to @High Stick King @EvilAllBran and @Ragnar for the sigs
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Chocolate had a very solid save percentage of .900. With the entire Dragons team cracking down on really trying to play team defense and give Chocolate a fighting chance, he responded by making consistent and timely saves each step of the way. Last but not least, he had a massive shutout in the WCF to really get the Dragons players and Dragons fans going. He's been an integral part of the Dragons run to the finals and likely will never get the credit that he rightfully deserves. ![[Image: insayne.gif]](https://sig.grumpybumpers.com/host/insayne.gif)
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. Luke Atmey has been having a killer Playoffs with 13 points in fourteen games, and he’s been performing better than Allen, who has eight points. Secondly, Wyatt Wøllker would be promoted to the first pairing, with Bubba Nick being demoted to play with Hunky Monkey. Wøllker also has 13 points, and a combination of Wøllker and Winston Windsor (who has 11 points) would be a potent line that would be an offensive threat. I wouldn’t change anything else, as the Rage have lines that I agree with mostly. These lines are mostly based on offensive production.
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